Recently there was a discourse series at Pushti Marg Haveli in Nairobi. I was very fortunate to attend these lectures. The theme was the love of the gopis for Krushn in Gopi Geet. Pujya Jejeshree conducted the discourses and in his usual style explained so beautifully all the verses and dwelt at length on the pure love of these gopis for the lord.
Gopi Geet is part of Srimad Bhagavat Puran more specifically it is in the first half of the Tenth Book in Chapter 31. The nineteen verses are sung when Krushn suddenly disappears after leading the gopis to perform the Raas in Vrindavan. Each gopi had a form of the lord for herself and there were so many Krushns at the same time.
The beautiful verses of gopi geet start with Jayati te dhikam janmanaa vrajah, that is vraj is always the winner because it was here the lord conducted all his leelas. The gopis bound him with their pure love and totally surrendered their body, mind and soul. There was no ego in them. So Krushn could fill in their hearts completely. The power of love is so strong and it binds the lord as we can see from the lives of the gopis. They were simple, unlettered cowherdesses, still the lord decided to leave all other important matters and spend time with them.
For a brief time, the fact that Krushn was with them made them a little haughty and that was when the lord decided to take off from there. He simply disappeared suddenly. Overcome with terrible sadness they pour out their viraha or sadness through these verses. We can call it the Gopis’ song of separation. They describe all his leelas and recall the good times they had with him and also praise him hoping to win him back.
I had a nice time hearing the discourses and I was transported back to the golden age and could visualize the wonderful Raas dance and the eternal love of the gopis who were willing to give up everything for their beloved.
